By Rick Cruz
Oakland–Authorities have linked a slew of killings in Stockton, CA to a homicide in the Bay Area. The Oakland Police Department recently announced that a 2021 shooting in East Oakland may be linked to the active serial killer.
Coined the “Stockton Serial Killer”, the wanted assailant’s crimes include multiple fatal shootings dating back to 2021. Police have compiled a list of several shootings that all have a common method of execution, connecting them with one another. A ballistic arms missile test reveals that they may have been committed by the same gunman.
Five of the killings transpired within Stockton, which isolated the manhunt up until this point. During the week of October 5th, the killer’s radius of victims expanded to the Bay Area as authorities linked a sixth murder to his spree: that of Juan Vasquez Serrano in 2021. The assailant fired multiple rounds at Serrano in the 5700 block of Oakland’s Harmon Avenue around 4:15 the morning of Apr, 2021.
“Serrano was an unhoused individual known and well-liked in the Seminary neighborhood of East Oakland as a car mechanic-for-hire. People would occasionally let him sleep in the cars he was fixing”, the San Francisco Chronicle details. The East Oakland murder of Serrano has been identified as the first of the Stockton Killer’s spree thus far. The killer employs a common pattern of striking in the late evening and early morning hours when victims are alone.
“The suspect is between 5’10 and 6 ft tall,” Police Chief Stanly McFadden reveals. “We don’t know what the motive is, what we do know is that it is mission oriented.” In the case of each shooting, no robbery or beating is committed. Alameda County officials are currently working diligently with San Joaquin County to connect any further homicides in the Bay Area with the serial shooter.
There is presently a $125,000 award being offered for information leading to the suspect’s arrest. Authorities have posted grainy videos of the person of interest: the male figure is spotted walking across the frame donning all black clothing. He is noted to walk unevenly with upright posture. Authorities have urged citizens of the Bay Area to keep on high alert, always travel with a group, and stay in well-lit areas.
Rick is a current Senior at UC Berkeley studying English. He is from the Los Angeles Area and writes for the Social Justice Desk of the Vanguard at Berkeley. He loves any thrilling outdoor activies such as camping, fishing, bungee jumping and skydiving.
